Batting

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Capital University Softball played host to its rival, Otterbein University, at Clowson Field on Saturday afternoon. The Purple and White took one of two games from the Cardinals to help keep them toward the top of the Ohio Athletic Conference team standings. Pam Vickers led the Capital offense with a team-high five hits while two Crusaders blasted home runs in its game one victory.

GAME 1 – OTTERBEIN 2, CAPITAL 6

Game one began with a bang and a deep blast off the bat of Bailey Walter (Ashland, Ohio/Crestview). The junior belted a leadoff home run, her third homer of the season, to give Capital an early 1-0 lead over the Cardinals.

Otterbein pitcher Kasey Morris found herself in more trouble in the second inning, where Capital plated three more runs. Senior second baseman Sarah Jasinski (Englewood, Ohio/Northmont) led the inning off with a double to left field and scored on Amber Martinelli's one-out single to right field. Senior Pam Vickers (Sagamore Hills, Ohio/Nordonia) hit the first of her five hits on the day with an infield single to load the bases. Freshman Morgan Fadel (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksview-Broadview) knocked in Martinelli with the first of back-to-back infield singles hit to the second base side. Marisa Koss recorded the second such hit, giving Capital a 4-0 lead.

Junior Kristen Mellott (Clear Spring, Md./Clear Spring) led off the third inning with a double to deep center field and later came around to score Haleigh Luce's fourth home run of the season. Luce roped a long shot over the left field fence to plate two more runs and build Capital's lead to 6-1.

Otterbein's first run was scored on a base hit, but only because the throw to the plate was cut and bounced off Martinelli's glove, allowing a run to score. They also scored in the following inning to make the score 6-2, but never drew closer. Martinelli retired 11 straight batters to end the game, five by way of strikeout.

Martinelli, an Allison Park, Pa. native, earned her ninth win of the season and limited Otterbein to just four hits while striking out seven and walking just one.

Vickers and Mellott finished with two hits each, as did Fadel. Mellott and Fadel each recorded an RBI, as well.

GAME 2 – OTTERBEIN 7, CAPITAL 1

Capital pitching got into some trouble in the first two innings by surrendering six runs between its number one and two pitchers on the staff. Martinelli earned the start but gave up two runs on four hits in the opening inning. After giving up a leadoff double in the second inning, freshman Kayla Wild was brought in, but did not fare well either. Maddie Flasco hit a two-run double and was followed by Bailey McElwain's two run home run to center field, giving Otterbein a 6-0 lead.

Sophomore Brianna Reardon (Fremont, Ohio/St. Joseph Central Catholic) then made her fifth appearance of the year with just one out in the second. After giving up a double to her first batter faced, she sat down the next eight in a row. Reardon allowed just one run over 5.2 innings of work and just four hits. Saturday marked the longest appearance of her career.

Capital sprinkled seven hits and left eight runners on base over the course of the game, four of them in scoring position. Vickers posted three of those seven hits, all singles. Walter had a two-hit game with singles in each of her first two plate appearances.

Cap's lone run came in the fourth inning when senior Katherine Boyer singled home Mellott. Mellott led the inning off with a single up the middle and advanced two bases via a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch before scoring.

Gabby Johnson of Otterbein (W, 9-0) earned the win to keep her overall record unblemished. She struck out four and walked two Capital hitters.

Capital is now 17-9 overall and 5-3 in the OAC, which places them third in the team standings. Otterbein (7-1) remains at the top of the team standings. The Purple and White will hit the road for two games against Muskingum University on April 11 before bringing action back home to play the University of Mount Union on April 14.